The New Year is upon us, which means that, having indulged throughout November and December in cookies, pies and hams, many of will resolve to cut out unhealthy foods in 2014. The problem is that unhealthy foods taste so good! Luckily, if your New Year’s resolution is to make choices that are healthy for the environment but look good, you won’t experience such a dilemma. There are wonderfully satisfying options of eco-friendly flooring to choose from. These flooring options are not only great for the environment—they are beautiful:

WOOD: Hardwood floors provide wonderful warmth to living spaces, and if you opt for hardwood that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, it will come from sustainably harvested sources. Using sustainable wood means that fragile eco-systems are protected, native cultures and economies are respected, illegal logging is prevented, and pesticide use is restricted.

WOOD SUBSTITUTES: Like wood, bamboo makes warm-toned floors. Bamboo flooring comes in a variety of styles and colors ranging from a light yellow to the darker amber tones. Bamboo is a fast-growing grass with a root system that is not only left intact when harvested but holds the soil in place to prevent erosion. By choosing this type of flooring, we also reduce the demand for lumber.

LINOLEUM: Linoleum, which is made from renewable materials such as linseed oil, pigments, cork, wheat flour and pine rosin, remains one of the greenest flooring products sold. Linoleum tiles come in many designs and colors. And not only is it made from environmentally friendly materials; it is easy to maintain. And if it’s click-together, it doesn’t require gluing.

CORK: Here’s another reason to drink wine: the cork sheets used for flooring are often made from salvaged by-products of wine cork manufacturing. Cork makes warm, resilient, sound-absorbing flooring. Cork is sustainably harvested every 10 years, which has little or no effect on the trees. Furthermore, the insulating properties of cork flooring contribute to energy efficiency.

At Floors Etc., we specialize in environmentally friendly flooring. We have been certified by the Monterey County Green Business Program since 2008 as an environmentally friendly business. We also carry sustainable products like linoleum, cork flooring, hardwoods and bamboo. Visit us at santacruzfloors.com, or feel free to call us at 831-462-5586.